Serbia: Floods - Mar 2010

Glide: FL-2010-000042-SRB

Overview

In March 2010, heavy rains and rapid snow melt caused floods in Serbia, damaging 1,306 households and affecting more than 3,150 people ReliefWeb 4 Mar 2010
The Red Cross of Serbia provided basic food and non-food items to 1,500 vulnerable people and assisted in reducing the risk of water-borne diseases and in returning to normal living IFRC, 4 Mar 2010

Summary: CHF 286,219 (USD 267,260 or EUR
195,609) has been allocated from the International Federation's Disaster
Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the National Society in delivering
immediate assistance to 3,150 beneficiaries and to replenish emergency
stocks.

Countries of South East Europe and the
Caucasus (SEEC) are highly vulnerable to natural hazards. Ninety percent
of the area of South East Europe is located within trans-boundary river
basins, which makes the region highly prone to floods. Due to climate change,
the frequency and severity of natural disasters, particularly those of
hydro-meteorological origin, are rising in all SEEC countries.

Obrenovac, 24 June 2010 - First Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic stated today that
members of specialist fire rescue units will remain in the flooded area
of Poljane near Obrenovac as long as people need their help.

During a tour of the flooded area, Dacic
emphasised that at the moment the most important task is to save lives
and to provide food and medicines to those in need, adding that water levels
are expected to drop over the next two days.

It is necessary to form a record of areas
in the country most vulnerable to natural disasters in order to take …

The International Federation's Disaster
Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created
by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is
available for Red Cross and Red Crescent emergency response.

Belgrade, 3 March 2010 - The Serbian government
made a unanimous decision today to provide RSD 77 million in aid to flood-stricken
cities and municipalities.

A statement by the mayor of Zajecar about
the alleged attempts to prevent the passing of this decision is untrue
and represents a harsh insinuation.

The decision to provide assistance to
flooded areas was made unanimously and all members of the Serbian government
voted in favour of it. There were no attempts to influence this decision,
as it would be impossible for anyone who is not part of the government
to influence it.